This invention relates to exercise belts and particularly to such belts adapted to comfortably and securely carry a portable stereo unit such as a tape deck or radio during the conduct of vigorous exercise.
Recent developments in the area of lightweight portable stereo equipment such as tape decks, radios and earphones have created a demand for an apparatus to conveniently carry these devices during active pursuits including exercise and athletic endeavors. A well known example of such a stereo unit is the popular Sony Walkman.RTM.. Many people have found that it is pleasurable to listen to music or educational tapes while skiing, skating, walking or engaging in other active pursuits. Monotonous aerobic exercises such as running or cycling are particularly suitable for musical accompaniment.
While a stereo unit may be carried by hand, this approach restricts the activities which may be engaged in by the listener and can be tiring and uncomfortable. Attaching the stereo unit to the listener's body by a belt or harness is preferable. However, the problem then becomes how to stabilize the stereo unit on the body during vigorous exercises so that the stereo unit does not appreciably move in relation to the body. Such "bouncing" of the stereo unit is distracting and uncomfortable. Other considerations attendant to carrying the stereo unit on the body during activities include interference with bodily movement, comfort, and protection of the stereo unit from moisture, heat and impact.
It will be appreciated that although it is possible to strap or wrap a stereo unit so tightly to the body so as to prevent relative movement between the stereo unit and the body, such a tight strapping would be unduly restrictive of the body's movement during athletic endeavors and quite uncomfortable. At the other extreme, merely clipping the stereo unit to a belt or clothing allows the unit to flop around even during moderate exercise. Among the attempted solutions to this problem is a belt which provides a cradle of intersecting elastic members to hold the stereo unit onto the belt, which is wrapped around the waist of the athlete. While such an arrangement is preferable to merely clipping the stereo unit on the belt, it does not eliminate the movement of the stereo unit relative to the body. Nor does such an arrangement cushion the stereo unit from the body or from other objects, or protect the stereo unit from moisture, either from the athlete's perspiration or from the elements.